It would behoove you to get to know the greater details of what this game is centered around. Because it's understandable that so much of this information might be overwhelming, we recommend that you at least get familiar with the section that is most relevant to your character. But don't regard this as cram-studying. In fact, take this as reference information. The city guides that we've compiled here are factual, but fun, and will contribute greatly to the dynamics of your roleplaying experience. Do keep in mind that our guide isn't exhaustive, but it certainly serves as a big picture and a launching point from which you can start doing your own research. We are, however, trying to make your life easy by putting the information out there for you. The guides are broken down by city. There are three cities, each representing a form of power, with either one or two highlights per city of a type of organization that exists under its relevant category.

The Polis Guide

NEW YORK, NYThe City that Never Sleeps, Gotham, Big Apple

New York City is the epicenter of the world of CAPITALISM. It is the most populous city in the United States and is known as the home of essential metropolitanism - skyscrapers. A global financial leader, it exerts great influence within the domestic monetary world as well as the expansive regions outside of the US. Being that it is choicely located on a harbor, it is also naturally a center of communications for international affairs, and is thus also a host of the UN headquarters. Among its landmarks are the Statue of Liberty, Wall Street, the Empire State Building, as well as Times Square. New York City can be broken down into five boroughs which consists of the following:

1. ManhattanManhattan is a strip of island at the mouth of the Hudson River and it is the most expensive county, home to some of the most valuable real estate. A major contributor to New York City's commercial growth, it also homes major radio, television, and telecommunication companies. It is metonymously the financial engine of New York, touting as the site of both the New York Stock Exchange, the largest stock exchange in the world, and NASDAQ, an American stock exchange dealing in securities, as well as AMEX, the official American Stock Exchange. Quite clearly, Manhattan would have the largest number of corporate headquarters in the nation. Before the 2008 bust, the five largest securities-trading firms in the US were based in the county. Manhattan's workforce is primarily white-collared with manufacturing and construction comprising only the minority of the workforce population. Here you'll also find the Broadway Theatre, Madison Square Garden, as well as a Chinatown. Interestingly, Manhattan had once had a history of crime in the 1900s with Al Capone and his Five Points Gang as well as Lucky Luciano's La Costra Nostra. Some of Manhattan's more popular universities include Columbia, Juilliard, and NYU, among others.

2. BrooklynBrooklyn is the most highly populous borough. Despite being a part of New York City, it is distinctly different from the other boroughs in its culture. It is better known as an "ethnic borough," and is better known for its urban art, music, and architectural scene. Brooklyn's recent economy has been driven by a shift from manufacturing to support-based services (accounting, supply agencies, computer firms), as well as a steady rise of back office operations from Manhattan due to Brooklyn's convenient location. There has also been a rapid increase of high-tech/entertainment businesses in the region known as Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass. Strong manufacturing bases that remain include those in apparel, furniture, metals, food, and pharmaceuticals. The Brooklyn Navy Yard is now a hub for about 230 private-sector firms including industrial design firms and others, as well as food processing businesses and artisans, along with a growing film and television production industry. But best known in Brooklyn would be the Brooklyn Museum, claimed to be the premier art museum in New York.

3. QueensQueens is the easternmost of the five boroughs. Queens is home to two major airports serving the New York metropolitan: the John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport. Thus, Queens is the hub of travel. An interesting fact is that Queens is where the annual US Open for Tennis takes place. It is visually symbolized by the Unisphere, and is the site of the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts. Among the four other boroughs, Queens is considered the borough that is slightly more suburban, and has a 47.6% population of immigrant residents as of 2005. Queens' various neighborhoods each have a distinctly representative ethnicity. The economy of Queens depends majorly on tourism, industry, and trade, and of course, the two airports play a great part in this. Among the more pronounced companies headquartered here would be Bulova (watches) and Steinway and Sons (pianos).

4. The BronxThe Bronx is, for the most part, known as the home of rap and hip hop culture. but predominantly, the Bronx's economy is locally constrained and is a primarily residential borough consisting mainly of multiple-family units, or apartments, rather than single-family unit houses. The state of the Bronx is currently high crime and high poverty, with more than half of its inhabitants requiring welfare and other forms of government help in order to afford housing. As a result, the general population of residents at the Bronx are extremely young, with a 2000 census averaging its residents to be around 24 years of age if not younger, and the women outnumbering the men in total. More recently, the city of New York has attempted to invest in the borough by plans of building roads, and inputting more money for building service facilities, bridges, and improving the sewer systems. Both the federal and state government have set aside economic zones, called "empire zones", where new businesses will be allocated to receive special tax benefits and additional financial incentives. But beyond the Bronx Zoo the largest financial presence in the community would be Co-Op City, the largest cooperatively owned housing development in the world. This housing cooperative is basically a legal entity that owns multiple residential buildings, and shareholders are allowed to occupy a housing unit subjected to an occupancy agreement - in other words, a lease. Co-Op city was a project sponsored and built by the United Housing Foundation, and among its more notable past residents include Queen Latifah as well as Richard Price.

5. Staten IslandStaten Island is the most suburban borough of the others and has the lowest population number compared to the other four boroughs. It's best known because the Staten Island Ferry provides a good view of the Statue of Liberty as well as Ellis Island. Staten Island's economy is also locally-oriented, like the Bronx, and mostly caters to its own residential market needs. The two dominant sectors are health care and retail trade. Staten has the least ethnic diversity and is 68% white. The average value of Staten Island homes are $430,000 as of 2006, so it can be estimated that the wider population of Staten Island are generally middle-income families. It is mostly considered a "family borough" in which 55% of its households are those consisting of married couples. The population has a distinct presence of religious identification (Roman Catholic, Jewish, etc). Staten Island has a variety of museums, theaters, and attractions, which further supports its relatively family-oriented community.

NYSEThe New York Stock Exchange

Described above as located in Manhattan and known as the largest stock exchange in the world. It is, for our purposes, the best representation of capitalism as it exists in the US. Virtually every major company, whether on the east coast or west, plays some part or has some stake in the goings-on at the hub of corporate America. What happens here can best be summarized word for word from Wikipedia:

The New York Stock Exchange (sometimes referred to as "the Big Board") provides a means for buyers and sellers to trade shares of stock in companies registered for public trading. The NYSE is open for trading Monday through Friday between 9:30am – 4:00pm ET, with the exception of holidays declared by the Exchange in advance.

On the trading floor, the NYSE trades in a continuous auction format, where traders can execute stock transactions on behalf of investors. They will gather around the appropriate post where a specialist broker, who is employed by an NYSE member firm (that is, he/she is not an employee of the New York Stock Exchange), acts as an auctioneer in an open outcry auction market environment to bring buyers and sellers together and to manage the actual auction. They do on occasion (approximately 10% of the time) facilitate the trades by committing their own capital and as a matter of course disseminate information to the crowd that helps to bring buyers and sellers together.

As of January 24, 2007, all NYSE stocks can be traded via its electronic Hybrid Market (except for a small group of very high-priced stocks). Customers can now send orders for immediate electronic execution, or route orders to the floor for trade in the auction market. In the first three months of 2007, in excess of 82% of all order volume was delivered to the floor electronically.

The right to directly trade shares on the exchange is conferred upon owners of the 1366 "seats". The term comes from the fact that up until the 1870s NYSE members sat in chairs to trade. In 1868, the number of seats was fixed at 533, and this number was increased several times over the years. In 1953, the exchange stopped at 1366 seats. These seats are a sought-after commodity as they confer the ability to directly trade stock on the NYSE. Seat prices have varied widely over the years, generally falling during recessions and rising during economic expansions. The most expensive inflation-adjusted seat was sold in 1929 for $625,000, which, today, would be over six million dollars. In recent times, seats have sold for as high as $4 million in the late 1990s and $1 million in 2001. In 2005, seat prices shot up to $3.25 million as the exchange was set to merge with Archipelago and become a for-profit, publicly traded company. Seat owners received $500,000 cash per seat and 77,000 shares of the newly formed corporation. The NYSE now sells one-year licenses to trade directly on the exchange.

JP Morgan ChaseThe Fortune 500 Company

A very important part of the financial world is the firm of JP Morgan Chase, which ranks at #16 of the Fortune 500 companies. The Firm is a leader in world financial services with assets totaling over $2 trillion in about 60 countries. Current world headquarters are now located on Park Avenue though some operations are also located in Chicago and Houston.

The Board of DirectorsThe Board of Directors of JP Morgan Chase oversees management on the behalf of the Firm's stockholders. The main responsibilities of the board include but are not limited to: overseeing processes for evaluating the adequacy of internal controls, risk management, financial reporting, and compliance with the law and the Firm's code of conduct; evaluating and determining the compensation of the Chief Executive Officer; reviewing the Firm's compensation and benefits programs and its succession planning and diversity programs; reviewing the major strategic, financial and other objectives of the Firm; reviewing the Firm's community-oriented activities; nominating directors and evaluating the structure and practices of the Board to provide for sound corporate governance.

To accomplish these tasks, the Board is split into several committees such as the Audit Committee, the Compensation and Management Development Committee, Corporate Governance & Nominating Committee, Public Responsibility Committee, and Risk Policy Committee.

The Executive CommitteeThis committee consists of the CEO (Chief Executive Officer) and the heads of other departments. They are a part of the Board of Directors but take on leadership responsibilities within the Firm.

Heads of various parts of the company of the Executive Committee include but are not limited to the Investment Management, Investment Bank, Chief Administrative Officer, Commercial Banking, Finance, Chief Information Officer, Legal and Compliance, Corporate Responsibility, Philanthropy, Human Resources, Chief Investment Officer, Asset Management, Corporate Communication, Risk Management, Treasury and Securities Services, Home Lending, Strategy, Consumer Banking, Global Government Relations and Public Policy, Card Services, Auto and Education Finance, Business Banking as well as heads of the Firm in various parts of the world and in the United States.

ShareholdersShareholders (or stockholders) are individuals, companies, or trusts who buy a part of a corporation by buying a specific number of shares. While stockholders risk losing their investment if a company goes bankrupt or the stocks themselves lose value, they also have certain rights and powers within the company depending on how many shares they own. While there are federal laws concerning the rights of stockholders, they can vote on major issues, ownership of a part of the company, right to transfer ownership of their stock (such as on the stock exchange), dividend entitlement (a portion of any profits the company pays out through this manner), opportunity to inspect corporate books and records, and suing for wrongful acts.

WASHINGTON, DCThe District of Columbia, the Nation's Capital

Washington DC, formally known as the District of Columbia, is the center of GOVERNMENT. It is the capital of the United States and has a population of about 592,000. It is a city not only imbued with our nation's history but also a diverse influence. Just walk down the streets and you will find not only an international community represented by embassies but also numerous restaurants and shops. Landmarks in Washington DC are well-known and widely recognized, such as the The Lincoln Memorial, The Washington Monument, and the numerous Smithsonian Museums. The District of Columbia has 127 neighborhoods, separated into eight wards. Below are the major parts of the city:

1. Capitol HillThis is the largest historical district in the city and home to 35,000 people. With an area of only two square miles, it is also one of the most densely populated areas as well. Most notably, it is in this district where the judicial and legislative branches of government are centered. Sitting on top of Capitol Hill itself is theCapitol where the United States Congress meets; recent polls show that a third of the members of Congress stay in the district while they are in the city. Just east is the United States Supreme Court Building where the US justices hold their sessions. Other important sites in this district include The Library of Congress, The Congressional Cemetery, and the Washington Navy Yard. Barrack's Row, thusly named for it's proximity to the U.S. Marine barracks, is one of the oldest commercial districts dating to the 18th century, and is currently in the process of being revitalized. Notable figures who have either been born here or have lived in the Capitol Hill district include John Philip Sousa, J. Edgar Hoover and Frederick Douglass.

2. Dupont Circle/Embassy RowNamed after Admiral Samuel Francis Du Pont, Dupont Circle is located at an intersection of Massachusetts Avenue, Connecticut Avenue, and New Hampshire Avenue, and is a district in the 'Old City' of Washington DC. Along Massachusetts Avenue leading from Dupont Circle are where the embassies of many foreign countries are located. There are 175 total embassies in the city though less than half are actually on Embassy Row; many are also located along New Hampshire Avenue and Connecticut Avenue. Starting in the 1970's, the neighborhood started to become revitalized with many coming to seek an alternative lifestyle. In 1975, the city's first bookstore geared for gays and lesbians opened called Lambdha Rising and today is well-known across the country. Recently, this district has become Washington's cosmopolitan neighborhood that includes many museums, ethnic restaurants, bookstores, and private art galleries. Starting in 1997, there has been a farmer's market held on Dupont Circle every Sunday. Important locations in this district include not only embassies but also the Carnegie Endowment for Peace headquarters and The School of Advanced International Studies of John Hopkins University.

3. Adams MorganThe most culturally diverse neighborhood in the District of Columbia, it is also the center of the city's nightlife with many clubs and bars. It is also the center of the city's Hispanic community. Named after two formally segregated schools in the area, the area is considered a gateway for immigrants coming into the city. Since the 1970's, immigrants from Central America, Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean have flocked here. The area has a wide variety of international and ethnic restaurants. According to recent city statistics, there are 90 venues licensed to serve liquor in this district alone. Businesses were replaced by nightclubs and bars which caused the district to restrict the issuing of any more licenses. But there is more to Adams Morgan area than just night clubs. Every second Sunday of September is the Adams Morgan Day Festival that spans many streets and offers a multicultural celebration of food and crafts from around the world. There is also a farmers market every Saturday that offers produce grown by organic farmers.

4. Penn Quarter/ChinatownLocated just north of Pennsylvania Avenue, the Penn Quarter is an area that has been flourishing lately with new development. It is home to 10,000 residents and is the location of many museums, theaters, and art galleries. There are also many office buildings, including the FBI Building, apartments, and television and radio stations located in this area. Thursday afternoons in the spring, summer, and fall, the Penn Quarter Farmer's Market is held. Important locations include The Verizon Center sports arena, Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum, The Smithsonian American Art Museum, The International Spy Museum, and Ford's Theatre. Chinatown is a small historic neighborhood located just east of downtown near the Penn Quarter. It is well-known for its annual Chinese New Year Festival and many ethnic Chinese restaurants. In 1986, the Friendship Archway, a traditional Chinese gate, was built. It is a piece of public art standing 60 feet high with 7000 tiles and 250 painted dragons.

5. AnacostiaLocated in the southwest part of DC, this historic neighborhood is one of the more famous of the city. The district is named after a tribe of Nacochtank Native Americans who used to be settled there by the Anacostia River. Originally known as Uniontown, it was the first suburb included in the formation of the District of Columbia. Though the neighborhood used to be predominantly white, it is now 92% African-American, 5% white and other groups. But this area also has the highest reported crime rate in the city, though it was said to have gone down according to information dating to 2007. Notable locations in this district include Trinity Washington University and the Anacostia Museum.

6. GeorgetownLocated in the northwest area and founded in 1751, this district predates the foundation of Washington DC. It remained separate until 1871 and today is the location of many high end bars and restaurants. It is also the center for high fashion and shopping in the city. The area became popular after John F. Kennedy was elected president, as he had lived in Georgetown during his time as a Congressman and Senator. Today it is still the home to many politicians and lobbyists such as John Kerry and former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. Many movies based on Washington DC were shot in this district due to the picturesque architecture and setting of the neighborhood. These movies include All the President's Men, Minority Report, Election, as well as the popular television show The West Wing. Georgetown is also the location of famous Georgetown University and the Oak Hill Cemetery.

7. Pennsylvania AvenueThis street connects many of Washington's important monuments and historical locations. Called America's Main Street, it joins the White House, the center of executive power in the country, and the United States Capitol. This street is seven miles long but the 1.2 miles between the White House and the Capitol Building is considered the most important stretch of the road. Starting in 1995, in response to the Oklahoma City bombing, the stretch in front of the White House was made closed to cars. However, Pennsylvania Avenue is the location for many marches and rallies. Running though many districts, some important landmarks on the street include the J. Edgar Hoover Building which is FBI headquarters, the World Bank, the United States Department of the Treasury, and the Federal Trade Commission.

Now because the organization and function of our public government leaders are rather straightforward, we're going to focus our spotlight section on an agency who represents government at its most sophisticated and sleek, and whose roles and functions are not nearly as clear cut. Here we're going to elaborate on the way that the Central Intelligence Agency works, and how they collaborate with the big guys seen on your nightly news. A little note first - the CIA headquarters is based in Fairfax County, Virginia, but it is only a few miles off of Washington DC along the Potomac River. As can be implied by their title, the CIA is an information-gathering agency for the US, formed to coordinate espionage activities and other covert field missions. A basic visual depiction of its organizational structure can be found here which we will explain in the following.

The ExecutivesFirst and foremost, the uppermost planning, in other words, the powerhouse of the CIA, is concentrated in the executive office. If we were to draw a triangular command diagram, we can visually represent the executive office as being at the peak. It is headed primarily by the Director of the CIA, abbreviated D/CIA, who deals with the networking of the CIA with organizations outside of the agency, such as the White House, Congress, the US Military, and international intelligence agencies. His core concern, however, is to report to the Director of National Intelligence, who is a part of a large independently functioning sector of government that councils the Homeland Security Council, National Security Council, and the President himself. The Director is able to influence the internal activity of the CIA by the reports of his Deputy Director, who's role would be to, of course, direct and command the activity of what actually occurs within the CIA as per the wishes of the Director and of his own discretion.

Even within the executive sphere, there are executive staff that are responsible for the guidance of commanding decisions. The three general advising offices to the head executives are the Office of General Counsel, the Office of Inspector General, and the Office of Public Affairs. As can be construed from their names, the Office of General Counsel advises the CIA director on all legal matters regarding his role as well as the activities within the agency, the Office of Inspector General promotes the effectiveness and responsibilities of the agency while seeking to prevent "fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement." The Office of Public Affairs advises the Director on public communications, media, policy, and interestingly has some hand in the entertainment industry as well.

After the Executive office, the chain of command then branches across four directorates which we talk about here:

Directorate of IntelligenceThe DI tracks trends, analyzes and organizes information from many different sources, and makes sure that information gets into the right hands. They protect national security and keep track of rapidly developing events across the globe and right here in the country. Under the Directorate of Intelligence are various branches: Crime and Narcotics Center, Counterintelligence Center/Analytical Group, Asian Pacific, Latin American, and African Analysis, Collection Strategies and Analysis, Corporate Resources, Iraq Anaylsis, Near Eastern and South Asisan Analysis, Policy Support, Russian and European Analysis, Terrorism Analysis, Transnational Issues, Weapons Intelligence/Nonproliferation & Arms Control Center, and the School for International Analysis.

Directorate of Science and TechnologyThe DS&T develops technology to gather information in new ways. Their mission is to solve the problems of national intelligence in new ways. Sub departments in this branch include: Business Strategies and Resources Center, Center for Technology Management, Chief Scientist, Development and Engineering, Global Access, Mission Managers, Special Activities, Special Communications Programs, Systems Engineering and Analysis, Technical Collection, Technical Readiness, and Technical Service.

National Clandestine ServiceKnown as the NCS. They are the authority on the coordination and evaluation of clandestine operations. The NCS strengthens national security and foreign policy objectives in their activities, collecting human source intelligence. The NCS is organized by geographical regions and issues. It is further divided by several departments under two deputy directors. Under the Deputy Director NCS for Community HUMINT is the Community HUMINT Coordination Center and under the Deputy Director of the NCS is the Counterproliferation Division, Counterterrorism Center, Counterintelligence Center, Regional and Transnational Issues Divisions, and Technology Support Divisions.

Directorate of SupportIn their own words, this department, known as the DS, works as invisible hands in all operations. They are often the first officers into a difficult operation and provide support in communications, security, supply chains, facilities, financial and medical services. The DS is the first in and the first out, making sure that people and equipment come through operations. The DS is divided into two. The first are the the Stragetic Resource Investment, Critical Mission Assurance, Non-Techical Support along with the NRO Program Manager and DNI Program Manager. The second set if sub departments are Corporate Businesses, Global Infrastructure, Global Services, Medical Services, Mission Integration, Personal Resources, and Security.

NEWARK, NJEverything's legal, if you don't get caught.

An important port in the New York Harbor and Newark Bay, Newark is the center of CRIME. The largest city in the state of New Jersey, it has a population of roughly 300,000 and is only 8 miles from Manhattan. Newark has several important locations in it's wards such as the Museum of African American Music, Rutgers University, and the Port Newark Elizabeth Marine Terminal. The city is divided into 5 wards based off of location: the North Ward, the South Ward, the Central Ward, the East Ward, and the West Ward. Below are some important neighborhoods in each of the wards :

1. Forest HillLocated in the North Ward, Forest Hill is an affluent pre-World War II neighborhood. There are many stately homes located here in many classical styles, many of which have been preserved. One of the most notable landmarks in this are is the Tiffany glass factory. Notable residents of this neighborhood include, but are not limited to famous opera singer Maria Jeritza and actress/singer Lauryn Hill.

2. WeequahicThis neighborhood is a major residental area located in the South Ward and is Lenni-Lenape Native American for 'head of the cove'. The area was farmland until the late 19th century when it became a middle-class neighborhood. It was a largely Jewish area before the 1960's and today has a large population of African-Americans. An important part of the area is Weequahic Park which is has a 2.2 jogging track and the first golf course in the United States.

3. Government CenterLocated in the Central Ward of Newark, this area is the location of government buildings in the city.The center of the neighborhood is Federal Square which has the Newark City Hall on the north edge and the Rodino Federal Building to the south. Other government buildings in the area are the U.S. Courthouse and the Post Office. Government Center is also the location of many restaurants and coffeeshops, including a historical Chinese restaurant located in what used to be Newark's Chinatown.

4. IronboundA large working class neighborhood, Ironbound is located in the East Ward. The neighborhood was originally called 'Dutch Neck' and today is referred to as 'Little Portugal' owing to the large ethnic population in the area. , especially Portugese. The area is distinct with it's red brick stone buildings and history of industry. Ironbound has a presence in popular culture as well, appearing in Stephan Spielburg's movie War of the Worlds and an episode of The Sopranos as the area where Tony Soprano grew up.

5. VailsburgLocated in Newark's West Ward, the neighborhood stands separated from the rest of the city by the trench of the Garden State Parkyway. There are a great many Victorian and Duch style historical homes in the area that were built just after World War II. An important part of the area is Valisburg Park, which used to be the site of an amusement park.

DeCavalcantesThe New Jersey Mafia

This clan is one of the 100 families (or cosas) of the Cosa Nostra, otherwise known as the Sicilian Mafia. The Cosa Nostra is headed by the head boss known as the capo di tutti capi who controls all the clans, including the DeCavalcantes who are based in Elizabeth, New Jersey. They are connected to crime familes in New York, Philadelphia, and the general New England region. Activites the family are engaged in include, but are not limited to: labor racketeering, money laundering, drug trafficking, illegal gambling, loansharking, extortion, murder for hire, construction, building and cement violations, fraud and wire fraud, hijacking, pier thefts and fencing. Below is the organization of most of the Cosa Nostra clans.

BossThe boss is the head of the clan; they issue out orders to the underboss and take advice from their consigliere. Often while the boss issues out the orders, they are not directly involved in carrying those orders out themselves.

ConsigliereThe trusted right hand man of the boss, the Consigliere is the advisor. There is only usually one in the family and there are no underbosses or capos under him. They may also represent the boss, especially in relation to other families, and plays an active role in the family's affairs. Often the consigliere is a former underboss or caporegime.

UnderbossDirectly under the boss in the hierarchy, the underboss overlooks the flow of profits in the family and make sure they are going up to the boss. They also select the soldiers and caporegimes who serve under them. They are a very trusted part of the family and often will take over if the boss is unable to handle business. If a boss goes to prison or is killed, the underboss will become the acting boss of the family.

CaporegimeServing under the underboss, the caporegimes (or capos) head groups of 10 or so soldiers each. They occupy a high status in the family and have varying degrees of power. The higher earning capos have positions of respect and trust close to the underboss and the boss. But if they fail their duties, they may be demoted to the level of soldier.

SoldiersAlso called 'button men', the soldiers carry out orders issued from their superiors. They must have taken an oath of silence and killed a person in order to serve. It is the soldiers who carry out the day to day operations and dirty work.

AssociatesUnder the soldiers are the associates of the clan. These are not official members but rather those who aid the particular family or families. Associates can also be potential new members or corrupt officials and are considered nothing more than tools.